Party Crashers: Who Are Michaele And Tareq Salahi?

For all the consternation about how two uninvited reality show hopefuls were able to crash a state dinner at the White House, much remains unknown about who the husband and wife glitterati wannabes actually are.

TPM has been digging, and on close examination Michaele and Tareq Salahi have been moving in high end social and political circles for quite some time.

The White House is just the creme de la creme of the hot spots they've hit - the Salahis have attended receptions at the Executive Mansion in Virginia, big-dollar dinners for Congressional leadership and appear grinning next to top politicians and celebrities in dozens of photos on the Internet.

They own a winery and are heavily involved with the U.S. Polo Team, and they managed to get formally announced at the White House Wednesday night, before posing happily with Vice President Joe Biden and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. (They also met President Obama in the receiving line.)

Secret Service agents reportedly visited their Virginia winery and the couple also reportedly has financial trouble.

The Salahi lawyer has told news outlets they did not crash the event and they plan to address the issue in an interview with Larry King Monday night.

TPM has spoken today to people who have interacted with the Salahi couple, and those sources say the couple loves the limelight. They find out where the hot social scene is buzzing and show up, dressed to the nines.

The couple claims Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Justice Anthony Kennedy were speakers at their 2003 wedding, though TPM has not been able to confirm that detail. (Warner appears in photos on their winery Web site.)

Gawker speculated as to whether the couple's ties to the Indian embassy had something to do with how they ended up at the dinner, but Rahul Chhabra, a spokesman, strongly denies that possibility.

"Neither the embassy nor anyone from the embassy was involved in any way in their getting into the White House. Nor did we request any invitation for them," Chhabra told TPMDC today.

We've called and emailed the Salahis for comment - and we'll update you if we hear back.

The news also percolates as the White House prepares for a busy season of holiday parties for diplomats, government employees and members of the press.